Jesus And Women In The Bible
It is because of the teachings found in Scripture that women are treated better. Christianity elevates the treatment of women. Jesus elevated the treatment of women. He did not treat them as second class citizens, but treated them with dignity and honor. This is clearly seen in how He treated the Samaritan woman at the well.
Samaritans were viewed as very low class by the Israelites. No self-respecting rabbi would dare to speak to a Samaritan woman. Jesus did. He not only spoke with her, but He shared the Gospel with her. He showed the disciples that the Gospel message was for more than just the Jews by doing so.
5) John 4:9-10 The Samaritan woman said to him, How is it that you, a Jew, ask for a drink from me, a woman of Samaria? Jesus answered her, If you knew the gift of God, and who it is that is saying to you, Give me a drink, you would have asked him, and he would have given you living water.
The Old Testament And Women
In the creation account of Genesis 1, Gods first word on the subject of men and women is that they were equally created in the image of God . Neither received more of the image of God than the other. So the Bible begins with the equality of the sexes. As persons, as spiritual beings standing before God, men and women are absolutely equal.
Despite this equality, there is in Genesis 2 a more detailed account of the creation of the two human beings that reveals differences in their God-given functions and responsibilities. God did not create the man and the woman at the same time, but rather He created Adam first and Eve later for the specific purpose of being Adams helper. Eve was equal to Adam, but she was given the role and duty of submitting to him. Although the word helper carries very positive connotationseven being used of God Himself as the helper of Israel it still describes someone in a relationship of service to another. The responsibility of wives to submit to their husbands, then, was part of the plan from creation, even before the curse. The first books of the Bible establish both the equality of men and women and also the support role of the wife .
What Is A Woman’s Role In The Bible
A quick look around the world today, allows us to see women filling a variety of roles: mothers, daughters, wives, judges, teachers, missionaries, lawyers, corporate leaders, journalists, and more. In the Bible, we find variety in roles women fill as well.
We read about women like Deborah, who held the valued and highly respected position of judge in Israel. As a result of her decisions, the Israelites experienced peace for 40 years. We find brave ones like Rahab who landed in the lineage of Jesus even though her checkered past might have caused many to cast her aside. Also included in the Bible are Hannah, a mother who offered her son for the sake of the Almighty, Anna, a prophetess and one of the first to see the Messiah, Mary, the young mother who carried the hope of the world in her womb, Rhoda, the servant who was first to see Peter after his miraculous release from prison, and Phoebe, a faithful servant in the church. All these women filled different yet important roles.
For more on these women, visit the Bible here:
- Phoebe
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Female Sexuality In The Early Church
The sexual-ethical structures of Roman society were built on status, and sexual modesty and shame meant something different for men than it did for women, and for the well-born than it did for the poor, and for the free citizen than it did for the slave.:7 In the Roman Empire, shame was a social concept that was always mediated by gender and status. Classics Professor Rebecca Langlands explains: “It was not enough that a wife merely regulate her sexual behavior in the accepted ways it was required that her virtue in this area be conspicuous.”:10,38 Younger says men, on the other hand, were allowed live-in mistresses called pallake. Roman society did not believe slaves had an inner ethical life or any sense of shame, since they had no status, therefore concepts of sexual morality were not applicable to slaves.:8486,88 Langlands points out this value system permitted Roman society to find both a husband’s control of a wife’s sexual behavior a matter of intense importance, and at the same time, see the husband’s sex with young slave boys as of little concern.:12,20
The View Of Women In New Testament Times
Although this has been said previously, it is important to remember that the New Testament teachings were liberating to the women of New Testament days.
A. W. Verrall, the great classical scholar, once said that one of the chief diseases of which ancient civilization died was a low view of women.27 The Jews had a low view of women. In his morning prayer there was a sentence in which a Jewish man gave thanks that God had not made him a Gentile, a slave or a woman. In Jewish law a woman was not a person, but a thing. She had no legal rights whatsoever she was absolutely her husbands possession to do with as he willed.28
Aristotle once said, Woman may be said to be an inferior to man.
In New Testament times, received no education, not even teaching in their religious writings, the Torah. One rabbi who lived at that time said, Rather should the words of the Torah be burned than entrusted to a woman. Whoever teaches his daughter the Torah is like one who teaches her lasciviousness.29
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Women Are Equally Created In Gods Image
Genesis 1:2627Then God said, Let us make human beings in our image, to be like us. They will reign over the fish in the sea, the birds in the sky, the livestock, all the wild animals on the earth, and the small animals that scurry along the ground. So God created human beings in his own image. In the image of God he created them male and female he created them.
Galatians 3:28There is no longer Jew or Gentile, slave or free, male and female. For you are all one in Christ Jesus.
1 Corinthians 11:1112Nevertheless, in the Lord woman is not independent of man, nor is man independent of woman. For as woman came from man, so also man is born of woman. But everything comes from God.
How Did Noah Know Which Animals Were Clean And Unclean
How did Noah know which animals were clean and unclean before Leviticus?
When God spoke to Noah and told him to bring animals on to the ark, He told them to bring a certain number of clean animals, animals fit for sacrifice, and a certain number of other animals. How did Noah know which animals were clean and unclean? Let me give you the answer to that question. We dont know. The Bible doesnt tell us.
All I can say is that there were customs of sacrifice that went all the way back to the Garden of Eden. When Cain and Abel brought their sacrifices, they knew there was some custom to follow. They especially knew that sacrifices should be offered by faith. By the way, thats really the difference between Cains sacrifice and Abels sacrifice. Abel brought a blood sacrifice of an animal. Cain brought a sacrifice of the produce of the ground. Some people think Abels sacrifice was accepted because it was a blood sacrifice. Cains sacrifice was rejected, because it was not a blood sacrifice. It was a sacrifice made up of produce from the ground. Thats not the difference between their sacrifices. Hebrews 11 tells us that Ables sacrifice was accepted by God because it was made in faith. Faith or unbelief was the difference between the two sacrifices, not blood or no blood.
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Women In The Church: What Can They Do Or Not Do
This article is the affirmation of the pastor and elders of Flagstaff Christian Fellowship, Flagstaff Arizona as related to women’s roles in the church. It concludes with the Danvers statement by the Council on Biblical Manhood and Womanhood .
Steven J. Cole and FCF Elders
The issue of womens roles in the church is complicated and emotionally charged. These comments are only a brief synopsis of some of the issues. As elders, we affirm the rationale, purposes and affirmations of The Danvers Statement . Below are some specific questions and our understanding of how Scripture applies to each. Our goal is to honor God and His Word, while avoiding both a legalistic approach and compromise with the worldly influences threatening to undermine Gods unchanging truth.
Paul’s Proclamation Of Equality
You are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus, for all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ. There is neither Jew nor Greek, slave nor free, male nor female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus. If you belong to Christ, then you are Abraham’s seed, and heirs according to the promise.
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Womens Rights According To The Bible
Womens rights are among the social justice discussions. Twitter has been exploding with debate over this issue, especially since the Dallas Statement was issued. But what does the Bible say about womens rights?
Woman was given to man as a gift to compliment him, to be his other half, to work alongside him in his work. Scripture also expresses that the wife is to be treasured and highly valued. She is to be protected by her husband out of respect for her. She is to be selflessly served the way Christ served the church.
We can see even in the Old Testament that specific laws were given to protect women, especially widows, orphans and single women. Though these laws may seem strange to us in our modern era, they were in place to ensure that the women were provided for.
God has designed women differently than men and has designed the role of women to function differently than men. It is a womans God-given right to embrace the beauty that is inherent in being female. For this reason we must oppose the transgender movement. God has also given wives the right to carry children and care for them in the womb, and we must defend that right against any who would want to force an abortion. Women also have the same God given right as men to flourish in the environments He has divinely placed her.
32) Galatians 3:28 There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is no male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus.
Godly Women In The Bible
There are a number of virtuous and courageous women in the Bible. These women are considered of such great importance that their story was included in the God-breathed gift of Scripture.
Moses was about to be put to death until Zipporah stepped in and courageously circumcised his sons and saved his life.
1) Exodus 4:24-26 At a lodging place on the way the Lord met him and sought to put him to death. Then Zipporah took a flint and cut off her sons foreskin and touched Moses feet with it and said, Surely you are a bridegroom of blood to me! So he let him alone. It was then that she said, A bridegroom of blood, because of the circumcision.
Barak was afraid and refused to obediently go to lead the Israelites in war. Deborah valiantly stepped up to the plate, spoke boldly to him and reminded him of Gods promise.
2) Judges 4:6-7 She sent and summoned Barak the son of Abinoam from Kedesh-naphtali and said to him, Has not the LORD, the God of Israel, commanded you, Go gather your men at Mount Tabor, taking 10,000 from the people of Naphtali and the people of Zebulum. And I will draw out Sisera, the general of Jabins army, to meet you by the river Kishon with his chariots and his troops, and I will give him into your hand?
Manoah was afraid and overreacting after God visited him. His wife spoke words of wisdom calmly. She had the courage to speak to him and enable him to trust in God.
4) Ruth 3:9 Spread your wings over your servant, for you are a redeemer.
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The Children Of God And His Church
We are reminded by this in Ephesians 5:22-25, as it is written,
Wives, submit yourselves to your own husbands as you do to the Lord. For the husband is the head of the wife as Christ is the head of the church, his body, of which he is the Savior. Now as the church submits to Christ, so also wives should submit to their husbands in everything. Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her.
This passage emphasizes how important the role of women in the Church is, and it also implies how men should do their roles similarly to how Christ loved the Church. The roles are not a walk in the park. Yes, it is different, but both play a huge part in making the Church a success.
To further affirm this, let us talk about Lydia, the helper in the ministry. In Acts 1:13-15, we meet Lydia as it is written,
On the Sabbath we went outside the city gate to the river, where we expected to find a place of prayer. We sat down and began to speak to the women who had gathered there. One of those listening was a woman from the city of Thyatira named Lydia, a dealer in purple cloth. She was a worshiper of God. The Lord opened her heart to respond to Pauls message. When she and the members of her household were baptized, she invited us to her home. If you consider me a believer in the Lord, she said, come and stay at my house. And she persuaded us.
Bible Verses About Relationship Of Men And Women
The way of an eagle in the sky,The way of a serpent on a rock,The way of a ship in the middle of the sea,And the way of a man with a maid.
and in the same way also the men abandoned the natural function of the woman and burned in their desire toward one another, men with men committing indecent acts and receiving in their own persons the due penalty of their error.
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Why Does Jesus Tell Us To Pray That God Would Not Lead Us Into Temptation
Why does Jesus teach His disciples to pray , do not lead us into temptation? Would the Lord not always deliver us from temptation instead of leading us into it?
The word thats translated temptation is the same word for testing, proving. Its the same idea. God will never entice us to evil. The book of James makes it very clear, but there are times when God will allow our faith to be tested in any number of ways. Taking with the broadness of the word temptation , this is the prayer. Lord, dont allow anything in my life beyond what I can handle. Dont allow me any testing that is beyond my ability.
We dont have to read or understand that, especially in light of the broadness of the term temptation and what the rest of the Scriptures tell us about God and temptation, especially in James. We dont have to think that God might tempt us to evil or entice us to evil unless we pray like this. Thats not the idea at all. Its really a prayer to God that we would not be allowed anything beyond our ability to endure and resist as we trust in Him.
Bible Verses About Strong Women
Miriam, Deborah, and Abigail exhibit the traits of womanhood praised in Proverbs 31: She is clothed with strength and dignity she can laugh at the days to come Proverbs 31:25.
Her actions reveal that Deborah was nothing if not strong and dignified, a war general. Abigail was strong in going against her husbands decision, bravely facing David, and telling Nabal what she did. Miriam must have been laughing when she threw a little partywith her tambourine, song, and dancethat encouraged the Israelites on their journey to the Promised Land.
She opens her mouth with wisdom, and the teaching of kindness is on her tongue Proverbs 31:26.
Her words are inspired by God when Deborah speaks to Barak, telling him shell go to battle again the Canaanites. God gave her confidence she would receive honor. Abigail oozes kindness in her words and gifts for David. Miriams spirit expresses itself when she opens her mouth with wisdom and sings for joy.
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Does The Bible Allow Women To Work Outside The Home
A question from Louis
Hi Reverend David, I am a member of first Baptist church of Lincoln Gardens, NJ. I have been following you for a while. I have learned a lot from sermons. I often listen to your commentary, they are very inspiring.
I am part of a Bible study group online with 22 people from 5 different countries . I have a question that is causing a lot problem between us. Based on Genesis 3:16 most men in the group believe that women must not work. Their duty is to conceive and take care of their household. They believe anyone who let your wife works disobeys God. What do you think? Can you please help me?
Here is the passage Louis and his friends were focused on: Genesis 3:16-19
To the woman He said:
I will greatly multiply your sorrow and your conception
In pain you shall bring forth children
Your desire shall be for your husband,
And he shall rule over you.
Then to Adam He said, Because you have heeded the voice of your wife, and have eaten from the tree of which I commanded you, saying, You shall not eat of it:
Cursed is the ground for your sake
In toil you shall eat of it
All the days of your life.
Both thorns and thistles it shall bring forth for you,
And you shall eat the herb of the field.
In the sweat of your face you shall eat bread
Till you return to the ground,
For out of it you were taken
For dust you are,
And to dust you shall return.
We never want to imply that this is the only work women can and should do.
Proverbs 31:13
Proverbs 31:16